Ohio Sea Grant, on behalf of The Ohio State University, The University of Toledo and the Ohio Department of Higher Education (ODHE) has released the second-year research progress update for the statewide Harmful Algal Bloom Research Initiative (HABRI), which seeks solutions for harmful algal blooms in Ohio.

The initiative consists of more than 30 science teams working on different critical knowledge gaps identified by front-line state agencies that include the Ohio Environmental Protection Agency, Ohio Department of Agriculture, Ohio Department of Health, and Ohio Department of Natural Resources.

NOAA and its research partners predict that western Lake Erie will experience a significant harmful algal bloom this summer, potentially reaching levels last seen in 2013 and 2014, though smaller than the record bloom of 2015.

This year’s bloom is expected to measure seven on the severity index, but could range between six and eight. An index above five indicates a potentially harmful bloom. The severity index is based on a bloom’s biomass – the amount of its harmful algae – over a sustained period. The largest blooms, 2011 and 2015, were 10 and 10.5, respectively.

Oregon will schedule hearings this year to gather more input from residents on the proposed redevelopment of South Shore Veterans Park.

City Administrator Mike Beazley said the hearings are planned for September, October and November.

“There’s some engineering analysis going on. We wanted to wait until we were completed with part of that process before we moved forward with the decisions on the park itself. We have a number of ideas of what we could do with the park itself,” he said.

553122989[{"id":"208","title":"Yes","votes":"1","pct":16.67,"type":"x","order":"1","resources":[]},{"id":"209","title":"No","votes":"4","pct":66.67,"type":"x","order":"2","resources":[]},{"id":"210","title":"I'm against them, but I think they should remain","votes":"1","pct":16.67,"type":"x","order":"3","resources":[]},{"id":"211","title":"It's a state issue, not a national","votes":"0","pct":0,"type":"x","order":"4","resources":[]}]["#194e84","#3b6b9c","#1f242a","#37414a","#60bb22","#f2babb"]sbar160160/component/communitypolls/vote/79-confederateNo answer selected. Please try again.Thank you for your vote.AnswersVotes